One that got away as Eels miss out

Jacquelin Magnay | October 4, 2009 - 8:35PM

MELBOURNE Storm showed why they are the club of the decade,
overcoming the might of the Parramatta Eels with a scythe of speed
and skill that was too potent and powerful in
yesterday’s furiously tough grand final.

The fairytale for the Eels to scrape into the eight and then
become the first team from that position to win the grand final was
not to be.

Their Cinderella, Jarryd Hayne, had even left his bright
red shoe at home. ‘‘Prince Charming’’
police officers flashed their lights and sirens to escort an Eels
official to find the lost right boot, and it arrived in the
dressing rooms in time for kick off.

And yet they were so close. For the final eight minutes of
the final, spurred by the raucous excitement of a
pro-Parramatta 82,538 crowd sensing a historic victory, the
match was deliciously poised ... until the Storm’s Greg
Inglis calmly booted a field goal with just three minutes
remaining. With that goal came a collective and depressive
quiet.

The Storm had triumphed 23-16 with their second
premiership from four consecutive appearances, crushing the hopes
of most of Sydney, particularly in the west.

The Storm captain Cameron Smith said the last gasp comeback from
the Eels nearly prompted him to call a trainer for a change of
Speedos – he was that scared.

It was a final befitting the power and acceleration of the
Eels’ electrifying forward Fuifui Moimoi and the barnstorming
high flying grace of the Storm’s Inglis.

‘‘This is just unbelievable,’’
Inglis said, recalling how last year’s loss to Manly was so
devastating.

The match winner Inglis had shown he was ready to spoil the
Eels’ party earlier, midway through the second
half. Just when Parramatta got within a sniff of the lead he leapt
onto a towering kick at full speed and scored a terrific try
without any contest to keep the Storm ahead.

The Clive Churchill winner, Billy Slater, scored another try to
keep the Eels at bay.

While the Eels were in the contest late, they were clearly
rattled early.

Before the game started, in sharp contrast to their relaxed
demeanour earlier in the week, the players may have had pre-game
nerves, and the wives, girlfriends, parents and other family
members of the Parramatta players were out of routine, seated
opposite to where they usually are in the grandstand
– while the Storm family members had their usual spot
just behind the players bunker on the western side.

Before the match started there was a minute’s silence for
tsunami and earthquake victims in the Asia-Pacific,
particularly pertinent for the five Samoan players in
the Storm line up.

The rain held off for most of the match, and the ground was not
as slippery as the moves the players displayed.

The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, was in the stands,
joined by a throng of politicians, including the Minister for
Sport, Kate Ellis, Anthony Albanese, the NSW Premier, Nathan
Rees, Eric Roozendaal, the NSW Sports Minister, Kevin Greene, the
Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell, and the boxing
mascots of both teams, Roy Jones junior (Storm) and Danny Green
(Parramatta).
Notching up their 11th win out of 12 matches was just too difficult
for Parramatta against the clinical defence of the Storm, who
wrapped up the Eels before they could unleash their
offloads.

Moimoi was at his fiercest and fastest, colliding heavily
with Ryan Hoffman and scoring an inspiring try.

Nathan Hindmarsh was tireless as ever with his phenomenal
persistent tackling.

But the Eels initially played as though they were fatigued or
overwhelmed, still somewhat battered from their finals
campaign.

Eels captain Nathan Cayless came on despite fears his troubled
hamstring would suddenly snap but he was hesitant in the time he
was on the field.

‘‘We had a real crack at it today but we got
punished by quality players in a quality team,’’ he
said after the game.

The huge crowd was quiet five minutes into the match
when the southern outsiders scored first thanks to the man that
Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson didn’t want –
Brett Finch, who delayed a superb pass to tryscorer Ryan
Hoffman. That Storm pressure was maintained for much of the first
half. Then the Eels scored and the crowd was woken from its
slumber. Flags waved furiously, fans found their voice and
the roar meant the players couldn’t hear any of the
calls on the field.

Earlier in the pre-match entertainment and amid the guitar rock
of Wolfmother and enough explosions of fireworks to fill the
stadium with smoke, the triple century legendary players were
honoured. Retiring Bulldog Hazem El Masri with 317 games was joined
by Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer (315). Both arrived
by helicopter with the premiership trophy.

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